The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1887-04-09
rrFrY YEARS AGO.


Father Clarkson. Of the Iowa State
Register, discourscs of things a half
century ago as follows: "Fifty-four
years ago, the coming fall, the agricul-
tural editor of the Register built brick
building for printing Office in Brook
Vile. Ind. We have been looking over
our old books, TO compare the prices OF
labor then with what is demanded now.
The stone and brick work was done by
Joseph Wallace, the price paid being
twenty five cents per thousand for brick,
taking the kiln count for numbers. He
was an honest and faithful workman.
The woman who was his wife then. Is
now the wife of a Methods. minister in
Des Moines. o. NJ. Bartlow,a neat and
rapid workman, did the carpenter work
for 62l cents per day. And day.
work at that period was from sunrise
until sunset. and accomplishing The
brick and lumber had TO be hauled
about six or seven miles. and the writer
made il regular practice OF going for
n load of one or the other each night
after supper. which was after sunset.
And hc was out for one Of these loads
the night OF the 18th of November,
1888. when there occurred the greatest
mcteorc shower recorded in history
The full sight of IL well paid for the
entire falls extra labor. The mortar
was made, and il and the brick car
ried mp TO the masons by Mr.. Henry
and his son John. both strong men,
for twenty-five cents a day each. And
people lived Just as contentcd and hap
py in those DAYS as now. Few debts
were contracted. and mortgage OF
any kind was rarity. But that was
in the barbarous age OF Imprisonment
for debt.
By turning TO the files OF our paper
OF that date we find the prices OF arti
Giles quoted rs follows: Flour, per bar
rel $500. corn per bushel, % cents
cigars. 81 90 per thousand; cotton yarI
"a, all weaving was done in the family
was 26 TO % cents per pound; iron, II
cents per pound, retail; coffee pc
pound. 6 cents; salt per bushel, $l.O0
tobacco, from TO Z cents per pound
apples, green, per bushel, % cents
beef. 3 10 cents butter. 6 90 : cents
chickens. per dozen, 75 cents to $l.O0
eggs. cents; nails, 8 cents per pound
sugar, (white), from 10 TO 10 cents pc
pound; whisky, 22 cents per gallon.
We thus give the price of labor j
connection with the price Of food, cloth
ing. etc, itch show how the peopl
lived and labored in those good oil
Hoosier days.
Freight by river from Wheeling I
Cincinnati was 40 cents per 100, an
from Philadelphia to Wheeling by WAC
on $500 per 100.
SPRING CLEANING.
More important in many respect
than the Inauguration of n new n:
tIonal administration is this annui
revolution IN the household, At least
some persons. and il is well nigh upo
us. The male members of the famil
utterly dotest IT, To them the sprin
cleaning Is a thing Of terror, Wit
some men even the weekly sweepin
day lisa matter Of abhoroncd A bacI
tloI lIitHu NhtNt NlNA'A N'lA hVhNt ~
him most intellectually used to rela
very tragically the appearance Of h
own particular apartment or the drea
cd Friday. He was not engrossed
business. and 50 spent many Of
hours NJ home. thus seeing more Of q
ordinary administration Of househo
affairs than most men do. He h!
sometimes looked into his room ,
sweeping day. Alas, everything W
ont of place and he felt that the climi
of dcsolation was reached when he sa
the mirror detached from the bure'
and lying flat upon its face on the be
But spring cleaning Is n sort OF acc
mulated or prolonged sweeping eta
and some women make the most OF
For weeks the household will DO d
turbed and distressed A frantic cifc
will be- made 60 clean the whole hou
ut once. Herculcan tasks will be y,
formed By many fragile housekccpei
there will be much running up a
down stairs. ETC., passing in doors a
out: meals viii be- out of time, disr
sitions out of tune and everybody
the house out of patience. And